According to New Economic Foundation, the organization that conducted this study, “The HPI is an innovative measure that showsthe ecological efficiency with which human well-being is delivered around the world. It is the first ever index to combine environmental impact with well-being to measure the environmental efficiency with which country by country, people live long and happy lives.” However, despite media headlines blaring, “Costa Rica: World’s Happiest Place,” the Index doesn’t reveal whether countries are “happy.” In fact, the nations that top the index aren’t the happiest in the world, but are countries that show that “achieving, long, happy lives without over-stretching the planet’s resources is possible.”

Ultimately, the HPI is meant to show that around the world, “high levels of resource consumption do not reliably produce high levels of well-being, and that it is possible to produce high well-being without excessive consumption of the Earth’s resources.” The UK’s Telegraph noted, “Economists said the richer countries came lower in the ranking because of the high carbon footprint of the population, measured by looking at how much of the world’s resources people consume per capita.” The news agency added, “In the UK, the low ranking [#74] was largely due to social problems or what has been labeled “broken Britain” and the high carbon footprint of most of the population. If everyone in the world wanted to live as people do in the UK, it would require the resources of more than three earths.” The United States also came in quite low on the rankings, at 114.

The last time the HPI was revealed, in July 2006, Pakistan actually ranked at 112. Based on the previous data, it looks like this can be mainly attributed to life satisfaction [based on surveys] being extremely low [4.3 versus 5.6 today – Costa Rica, to give you a good comparison has a high life satisfaction of 8.0]. The change, coupled with higher life expectancy, means we now rank in the top 25 of the world. Something interesting albeit questionable to celebrate, but definitely better than being called a failed state. What do you think?

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The whole topic of the Happy Planet Index is a really interesting and very debateable issue, mainly because its considered more sustainable than measures like GDP. In fact, Nick Marks, who devised the rankings, urged politicians to pay more attention to life satisfaction over GDP, saying, “The big message of these rankings is that we have to produce a system that makes people happier without costing the earth,”

So I’m a little confused. Wouldn’t countries like Pakistan have a higher carbon footprint because of our lack of efficiency pollution control and recycling…or I might be completely wrong. Nonetheless, I think its awesome we rank so high in the Happy Planet Index and we won the World Cup!

I was confused on that too. Here is the definition of ecological footprint:

“The ecological footprint of an individual is a measure of the amount of land required to provide for all their resource requirements plus the amount of vegetated land required to sequester (absorb) all their CO2 emissions and the CO2 emissions embodied in the products they consume. This figure is expressed in units of ‘global hectares’.

The advantage of this approach is that it is possible to estimate the total amount of productive hectares available on the planet. Dividing this by the world’s total population, we can calculate a global per capita figure on the basis that everyone is entitled to the same amount of the planet’s natural resources.”

Ummm…I would contest these rankings. As would I contest the rankings of the Foreign Policy magazine.

Pakistan is not the twenty-fourth happiest nation in the world. A sense of gloom and despair is prevalent here. No water, no electricity, no security. Very little channels to vent in the forms of entertainment and people are sick and tired of a useless government.

Pakistan is also not a failed state. We make do. Kids don’t walk on the streets but they do play in the parks. We have a functioning democracy and Pakistan is not a police state where police brutality is commonplace. And people find ways to spend their time, be it watching movies or drag-car racing.

My point: Rankings are fun to read but that’s about it. That said, there might be sense of gloom and despair but as Muslims, we believe that whatever happens, happens for our wellbeing. So we are happy and we find happiness in the smallest of places.

I agree that this ranking is debatable. I think the ranking should not be called the “”Happiness Index”or something like that. Maybe if they called it something closer to what the findings actually represent. Out the criteria used, only life satisfaction even relates to “happiness” and that to is a completely subjective finding. I have no idea how the rest of the criteria translates into happiness.

Yawar- Pakistan is a functioning democracy? Don’t mean to call you out but Pakistan is a totally dysfunctional democracy. Liberty is a precursor for democracy and pakistani people are socially and economically repressed. Fuedalism is rife and people don’t have basic human rights. A functioning democracy has to provide these basic things in order for it to be “democratic.”Elections and a parliament are just mechanisms of a democracy, but do not make a nation democratic.

It may not be a police state in the same way that North Korea is, but it definitely has many aspects of a police state when it comes to restricted mobility, social control and police brutality. But yes, it is not a police state like N.Korea but definitely looks like a police state at times.

Actually, Shehryar I would stand by the point that I made. Pakistan is a functioning democracy. Yes, it’s dysfunctional in many ways but in the end, the rulers are accountable to the people. And that accountability is in the polls and the votes.

THere definitely is liberty here. Too much of it. Just last night, I was thinking of how Geo and Jang can hold a government captive by what they broadcast and publish. Media might be stifled in many ways but the power of media has grown uncontrollably. The long march would have long been gone if it wasn’t for Geo showcasing it.

I’m with you in how the feudal system is our downfall. But you have to admit that it’s ingrained in the system. The feudal lords own the land and there is no way that we can do away with them without forcibly taking away their land i.e. infringing on their liberties. Two wrongs don’t make a right.

And compared to Egypt and Syria, Pakistani police wield on power is very weak. So police state we’re not. Police corruption and inefficieny are a different matter.

I’m sorry, but what does the environment have to do with happiness? If they are redefining happiness to mean something other than what Webster means it, that’s another story.

Happiness is by definition immeasurable and undefinable. The feeling or sensation varies widely from person to person and culture to culture. To measure it by asking survey questions is by no means accurate or meaningful. Studies of this sort are pseudo scientific, it is impossible to do blind or double blind studies. The method with which the survey questions are asked can cause the results to vary widely.

While I understand there is an underlying comfort factor within the story, it has no implications on truth.

We all must examine the source of studies before accepting them. Because, “63.74554% of all statistics are fabricated.” ;)

They are attempting to quantify happiness, which seems kind of contradictory to me – but, on the website I did take the survey for them to calculate your personal HPI, and the questions are done on a scale-basis – like, are you stressed none of the time, often, all the time, usually, sometimes…etc.

Measuring life expectancy is, according to the NEF, the best measure of well-being. Measuring life satisfaction, or “happiness” is far more complicated apparently.

I don’t know if these stats are fabricated as much as they seem like a novelty. Echoing what Colin and Tan said, it seems like a way to romanticize developing nations (at the same time, the 10 lowest countries in the ranks are all in Africa – from Zimbabwe to Mali and Tanzania).

The reason I wanted to write this post, though, was 1. to highlight a ranking that actually shines POSITIVE light on Pakistan (for once) and 2. spark a debate on quantifying what was often-deemed unquantifiable indicators.

Ultimately, I agree with Yawar – most rankings are a way of boxing in nations, pegging them into arbitrary holes. But this ranking, in particular, was particularly interesting to me because it combines carbon footprints with well-being – that’s pretty different, albeit questionable.

These rankings are ridiculous. Jamaica is #3 even though it is one of the most violent countries in the world and plenty of people leave the island to live elsewhere, which is why there is such a huge Jamaican diaspora in the US and UK.

#7 Cuba is a place that people literally risk their lives to escape and Saudi Arabia at #13 — a repressive, backwards society where women are second class citizens — is a sick joke. People in #12 Egypt are miserable and seething with anger towards their government and lack of opportunity in life.

#23 Mexico, like Cuba, is full of people that regularly risk their lives to immigrate to other countries — most notably the allegedly UNhappy United States — in pursuit of a better life.

And really, looking over the top 25 you can’t help but notice that it is full of economic backwaters that people are generally trying to get out of and move to places that the index claims are unhappy.

It seems apparent that the real agenda here is to promote a low-carbon footprint lifestyle. That is to say that the authors of the report find poverty virtuous and something to be emulated. This is typical of Western leftists that romanticize the third world as wonderful stewards of the environment, while they sit safely ensconced in their Western lifestyles, typically lacking for little. It is condescending and insulting.

i sense a common theme to this index: amazing beaches or amazingly oil rich–why wouldn’t these countries be happy!?

pakistan and bhutan are the exceptions, with awesome mountain ranges..i suspect bhutan’s internal GDH (Gross Domestic Happiness Index) has something to do with it’s high ranking, which makes Pakistan’s appearance all the more fascinating!

If the government follows thru on its plans to develop the massive Thar coal reserves, look for this ranking to drop precipitously. The problem with numbers is that they rarely tell the whole story. I hate to be negative about a country that I have grown to love, but if the GOP COULD have efficiently and quickly developed its carbon resources, like China for example, it would have by now. Based on the happiness index cited here, you could make a rather ironic argument that Pakistani “happiness” is largely based on its govt’s dysfunction and mismanagement. Does this mean the more efficient the GOP gets at long-term economic planning, the more unhappy Pakistan will get?

Could you clarify that argument, just because that was a point I raised in the above comment – why are Pakistanis more satisfied with their lives today versus three years ago (the last time the measure was taken)?

I agree with you. I think calling it the “Happy Planet Index” is confusing, especially because it doesn’t technically measure HAPPINESS, (I mean, whoever thinks people in Saudi Arabia are happy obviously never polled the women).

I actually was watching CNN when I saw a news ticker read, “Costa Rica Happiest Nation on the Planet.” Curious, I looked up the story and decided to see where Pakistan fell on the rankings, pretty much expecting us to fall on the low side of the list. Imagine my surprise when I saw we were in the top 25, a far cry where we were in July 2006.

So, if the main indicator that pushed our ranking up was “life satisfaction,” then why would people polled by Gallup say they were more “satisfied” with their life now than three years ago? We have a worsening security situation, food prices are high, and power shortages are the norm. So, in everyone’s opinion, what would make people respond favorably to this poll?

Here’s a little background on the life sat aspect of the poll itself:

Life satisfaction is typically measured with the following question:

“All things considered, how satisfied are you with your life as a whole these days?”

Responses are made on numerical scales, typically from 0 to 10, where 0 is dissatisfied and 10 is satisfied. Years of research have demonstrated that, despite its apparent simplicity, the question produces meaningful results.

Individuals’ responses correlate with the size and strength of their social networks, relationship status, level of education, presence of disability, as well as with their material conditions, such as income and employment. The averages for countries tend to be higher where people within that country enjoy higher levels of social capital, better climate, richer natural resources, higher life expectancy, better standards of living, and more voice within government.

Fatalism: the doctrine that no choice or act of the individual can affect the fate to which he is destined.

I was reading a nation-by-nation guide book several years ago and I distinctly remember seeing “Fatalistic” under Pakistan’s entry. This is generally a negative classification – but if you look at this from a religious standpoint, Islam states that our destinies are all pre-written, and cannot be changed.

This is relevant to our topic because fatalism can lead to happiness…whether or not it’s organic is subjective. Yawar opened his comments with a similar idea.

When you go to Pakistan you notice extreme poverty, you have to pay for water, and load-shedding…@$%! — but people enjoy their social lives.

Road Rage is even different in Pakistan – it’s less about being mad at fellow-drivers and more about dealing with the stress of zig zagging through traffic…where cars are being driven by your ‘brothers.’

I won’t say there isn’t any merit to this happiness index – but the results don’t jive with sociopolitical conditions in those nations – so in effect, this doesn’t measure happiness. I can, however, see great potential in combining several of these studies (i.e. Happy Planet, Failed States, etc.) and extracting averages / common denominators.

Ultimately too, can we even measure “failure.” And if a state is considered “failed” or close to failure, what does that ultimately mean?

I, like you and Yawar, take issue with trying to quantify abstract terms, because ultimately it takes countries out of context. There needs to be a balance between quantitative indexes and qualitative analysis.